Mask Natural
Keeping good hair means a lot of work. Except you want to walk around looking like a one who has lost his way, you’ve got to know the right products to use and the correct techniques and methods of using them.
Whenever you visit the supermarket or cosmetics store, you are going to find lots of hair treatment products on display. Some would offer to treat hair scalp problems like dandruff, dryness, hair breakage, etc., others would promise to give that your hair that shiny lustre seen with models on T.V.
But have you considered the potency of natural/home-made hair products? Agreed, not everyone has the patience to stay up at home on a Saturday, mixing one thing with another to get a home-made hair cream.
It seems far easier to get to the cosmetics stores and grab an already made one or order online. Yet, natural hair treatments could help with your hair problems a lot faster than manufactured products.
A lot of research has gone into natural remedies and hair masks for hair problems. Yet, aloe vera, which was discovered as early as 2,200 B.C. in Egypt, remains one of the most effective. What researchers now do is to find out how aloe vera can be combined with other fruits or plants to produce results.
How good is aloe vera for hair?
The early Egyptians thought aloe vera was an “eternal plant”. They concluded that for something whose use and importance seemed limitless, it must have come from an ethereal world. Even today, aloe vera’s benefits can hardly be numbered. For hair treatment, some of the benefits are as follows:
- It is used to treat dandruff.
- It is used in combination with other substances as a hair moisturizer.
- It is applied to get rid of excess oil on the scalp.
- It acts as a booster for hair growth.
- It protects the hair from U.V. rays.
- It toughens the texture of hair strands.
- Aloe vera could be made into a gel and used to style the hair
- It guards against hair breakage.
These are only a few of the advantages of aloe vera when applied to the hair. However, aloe vera is seldom applied on its own these days. For instance, a manufacturer who specializes in hair products can mix aloe vera with half a dozen other materials to come up with a finished product.
The same thing goes for the domestic cream maker. He or she can decide to mash up aloe vera with different products like castor oil, milk, turmeric, honey, lemon etc. The combination of aloe vera with these materials all depends on what the maker is trying to achieve.
What is curd?
So we have been talking about aloe vera all this while, and it seems we have forgotten about this little brother here. We should do a little introduction. Shall we?
Many people drink yoghurts. They’re accustomed to the taste but may struggle to tell the difference between curd and yoghurt. Well that could be because both are dairy products. The disparity only exists in the process of making them. Whereas yoghurt is made by fermentation, curd is gotten by adding a digestible acidic substance to the milk and leaving it to thicken.
To make curd, get a little bucket of milk and heat it. This will prevent it from going bad when it is fermenting. Get either vinegar or lemon juice and stir gently into the milk. It is best always to cover the bucket or bowl you’re using to mix the curd. Check regularly to see if the curd is ready. When done, package it and keep in the fridge.
Curd possesses lots of benefits to the body as it contains sufficient minerals and proteins. It boosts the immune system, improves digestion, limits the risks of high blood pressure and supports healthy skin. It also helps to fight diseases as it contains anti-oxidant properties.
Curiously, just like aloe vera, curd can be used directly on the hair. It has the potential to curb dandruff, maintain optimum pH levels in the scalp, promote hair growth, curtail the congestion of hair follicles and soften the hair.
Mixing Aloe Vera and Curd for Hair Mask
Now that you know the cool rewards of using the two products mentioned above on your hair, it’s time to let you in on how you can combine them to achieve maximum effect. Note that you would have to do this hair mask at home by yourself unless you want to scout for an already made aloe vera and curd hair pack. That would cost you more money by the way. Below is a recommendation of how to apply them:
- Get two tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel, then fetch one tablespoon of curd.
- Turn both into the same bowl and stir gently into a paste.
- If you’re sporting a long hair, it would be better to separate them into sections.
- Using your fingers, rub the paste gently into your hair.
- Move from the middle to the end. Then work the paste slowly into your scalp.
- Ruffle your hair lightly to make sure the paste goes into every possible area.
- Get a shower cap to cover your hair and wrap snugly with a towel.
- Leave the paste on for about 25 to 40 minutes.
- Wash your hair under the shower making sure to get everything out.
As mentioned earlier, curd is a dairy product that is highly rich in protein. And protein is the fabric that keeps your hair together. If you’ve been experiencing significant hair breakage or hair loss, it will prove useful in getting your mojo back! Adding aloe vera to it will surely help you realize that strong, luminous hair you’ve been yearning for. If you desire using aloe vera regularly, you can plant one in your garden if you don’t have a garden, no problem. The plant only needs a bit of soil and water to survive. Just get a little aloe vera vase at the market and place it at your balcony. When you’re ready to use it, tear a part of it, squeeze out the gel and enjoy!
